Among the duties of the Panama Maritime Authority is the development of new infrastructure and business models that propitiate economic growth, including tourism. In this effort, the Board of Directors approved the construction of a cruise terminal on the Pacific side of the country to meet the growing demand of cruise passengers arriving on Panama’s Pacific coast.
The project consists of the construction of the Panama Cruise Terminal, Isla Perico, which will have capacity to serve ships with a maximum size of 360 m in length and 10,5 m in draft. In comparison with the Caribbean market, the Pacific currently represents a less developed market but with great attractions. Therefore, the construction of a cruise terminal in the Pacific generates a great advantage for Panama, as cruise operators wish to diversify their travel offers.
The project is conceptualized under the philosophy of a “Home Port”, the new Cruise Port of Panama, seeks to become the most modern and safe port in the American Pacific. Apart from the economic benefits from tourism, the project is expected to have a high social impact through job creation.